Nevada County picayune., 1887-09-08

First came a nervous twitching in my limbs-a "crawly" feeling, US some express it-that sensation which induces gaping and yawn' ing, but which no amount of fyawn. ing could now sub,lue. By and by Il sense of nightmare stole upon me; and, though perfectly awake sense of impending danger pos. sessed me. At length so uncOm. fortable did become in my re. cumbent position, that arose and lighted my lamp, resolved to re. plcnish my fire, and dress myself and see if 1 could read away my nervous fit.
 My lamp was lighted, and as l returned to the bedside for my slippers, my attention was attract. ed by string which lay upon tie carpet-a string leading from the bed to the door. stopped to ex- anime it and found it fast at both ends. brought the lamp, and took a more careful survey. The string was fiue silke,l trout line, new and strong, one end of which disappeared beneath the bed, and the other beneath the door. In my then present condition 1 was suspicious of evil, and my senses were painfully keen. Raising the hanging edge of the coverlet looked under the bed. The car pet bag which Laban Shaw had left there, partly open, with the silkcl lnhe leading out from it. What could il mean! Had the man accidentally carried the end of the line away with his night dress without notlcing it! | drew the bag out from beneath the bed, and as l held it's jaws apart l saw within. a double barrel pistol, both hammers cooked, bright percussion caps gleaming upon the tubes, while the silken line with double end, was made fast to the triggers!
 And l saw that the muzzle Of the pistol barrels were insyrted into the end of an oblong box, or case, of galvanized iron. And l cOmprehended, too, that a very slight pull upon that string might have discharged the pistols-and, furthermore, that a man outside of my door might have done that thing!
 For a little time my hands trem- bled so that dared not touch the the internal contrlvance; but at length l composed myself and went at work. First, cut the string with my knife; and then, as carefully as possible, Ieased down the hammers of the pistol, after which 1 drew it from the iron case 1 had just done this when heard a step in the hall outside my door Quick as thought sprang up, and turned the key and threw the door open; and before me, revealed by the light of my lamp, stood Labau Shaw. He was frightened when he saw me, and trembled like al aspen. l was stronger than he at any time. and now he was | child in my hands. l grasped him by the collar, and dragged him in to my room; and l pointed tn, double barrelled pistol at his breast, and l told him ] wOulo shoot him as l would dog if he gave me occasion.
 He was abject and terrified Like a whipped cur he crawled al at my feet, and begged for mercy His master had hired him to do il with promise of great reward. IL had tranSpired that my testimony before the jury would be conclu sive of ButterwOrth's guilt, anc Butterworth had taken this means to get rid of me. In his great ter TOT, the poor accomplice made q full confession, and when he had told all, l released my grasp. He begged that would let him go but dared not-my duty woul, not allow it, rang the bell, and in time the hostler, who slept ir the office, answered my summons, l sent him for an officer, and al length had the satisfaction o seeing my prisoner led safely away.
 On the following day the carpet bag was taken before the granc jury, and the iron case examined by an experienced chemist assist ed by an old arin0rer from the ar, senal. If WAS fnnnd to contain \